Ottawa Senators Logo PNG
The Ottawa Senators logo is representative and noble. It features an ancient centurion that embodies indomitable strength, courage, and determination. The proud profile is at the center of the emblem, serving as a beacon of victory for hockey tournament players.
The Ottawa Senators trace their origins to 1883, when an amateur hockey club formed in Ontario. Over the following years, the team changed names, including Ottawa Generals and the “Silver Seven” from 1903 to 1907, a reference to seven players and silver rewards for victories. By 1909, the club had turned professional and adopted the name Senators, reflecting Ottawa’s status as the capital.
From 1917 to 1934, the team won 11 Stanley Cup titles and became one of the dominant forces of early professional hockey. The uniform featured red, white, and black stripes, with minimal use of logos. Only after championships did players wear a shield patch, and in 1929–1930, the club briefly introduced a simple “O” emblem.
Financial issues forced a relocation in 1934. The franchise moved to St. Louis as the Eagles but folded after the 1934–1935 season, with players dispersed across the league.
A revival effort began in 1990 when Bruce Firestone pushed for a new franchise using the original name and colors. After approval, the modern Ottawa Senators made their debut in October 1992 against the Montreal Canadiens.
The new identity introduced a Roman centurion profile as the main logo, with a secondary mark featuring the letter S and Roman numerals. The mascot Spartacat later became part of the team’s public image.
Meaning and History
Throughout its modern history, the “Ottawa Senators” franchise has maintained the same key visual concept of the logo. It became one of the few teams that simply modernized, slightly altered, or adjusted the main team logo. Strength and determination, that’s what the “Ottawa Senators” logo conveys. It was adopted in May 1993, shortly before the hockey players’ first season, which ended that year. Tony Milchard designed it. In addition, the logo contained the team name and was placed on a military shield. It was later removed. In 2008, the “Senators” updated the old logo and have used it ever since. Club owner Eugene Melnyk said the new “Ottawa Senators” logo symbolizes “strength and determination.” As a young franchise, it has only three emblems in its career: debut, transitional, and ongoing.
What is Ottawa Senators?
It is a professional Canadian hockey team. It is based in Ottawa and plays home matches at the Canadian Tire Center. The club is part of the NHL, competing in the Atlantic Division and representing the Eastern Conference. It was founded in December 1990, but officially began competing only in 1992.
1883 – 1917
The team’s first graphic symbol resembled a Kolovrat, but with nine rays instead of eight. It looked very strange, with three legs pointing in different directions, connected at the center. Double claw-like figures were depicted between each pair of limbs. These were three “claws” or six protruding, pointed stripes. This Ottawa Senators logo was painted entirely in a rich red. It symbolized tremendous speed and sports enthusiasm. The legs, bent at the knees, resembled stylized hockey sticks.
1917 – 1934
After the redesign, the “Kolovrat” disappeared, giving way to a large black letter “O” with a white stroke and a red outline. It used a contrasting font with vertically elongated glyphs. The background was a flag divided into two color blocks: a red top and a black bottom. It was placed in a dark rectangular frame.
1992 – 1997
The first Ottawa Senators logo was presented in Ottawa in 1992. Its design was quite simple yet symbolic. It featured a Roman emperor or centurion. The logo’s color palette included red, black, and gold. The emperor was depicted in profile in a golden helmet with laurels. Two semicircles rounded the image. The red-black resembled a warrior’s helmet, and the gold semicircle contained the “Ottawa Senators” inscription in black letters.
1997 – 2007
For the next nine years, the “Ottawa Senators” hockey club’s logo was almost identical to the previous one. The team name on the gold semicircle was replaced with a black laurel, while other design elements remained unchanged.
2007 – 2020
The third and latest “Ottawa Senators” logo was introduced in 2008. After a series of changes proposed by the franchise owner, the visual identity sign became even more decisive and strict. The “Ottawa Senators” emblem underwent significant reworking, gaining a more modern look without losing its characteristic style. It still depicted a Roman emperor and a member of the Roman Empire’s senate, but not in profile, but head-on. His face is stoic and stern, with prominent cheekbones and strong features. The centurion’s frontal gaze also speaks of this, expressing courage, determination, and steadfastness – qualities necessary for victory.
The Roman general’s head is adorned with a golden helmet and a raised visor. Metal plates also protect the sides of the face, and burgundy feathers protrude from the top. The collar of the cloak draped over the shoulders is the same color. The facial features are formed by intersecting thick black lines. To the right is part of a shield with a laurel wreath pattern.
2020 – today
In 2020, the “Ottawa Senators” returned to their classic logo, featuring a right-facing centaur. The designers returned the head position in profile and kept the same face shape as in the 1997-2007 version. Almost the entire composition is copied from the old emblem: the semicircle, supplemented with a laurel wreath and the symbolic elements on the left. Only the color scheme has changed. The semicircle and the contours of the headdress took on a dark gold hue, and the large red detail, reminiscent of the plume on the emperor’s helmet, turned burgundy.
Font and Colors
The character in the logo has always remained the same: a Roman general or centurion. Only the position of his head changed. In the earliest versions (the first two), he is depicted in profile, facing left. In 2007, after the redesign, the developers turned his head, drawing him into almost a head-on view. The artists also detailed their facial expressions, depicting them with dark strokes, a feature not previously observed. Until that moment, the eyes, nose, and lips were shaped like triangles.
The centurion wears a large helmet with wings on the back. Previously, there was an inscription “OTTAWA SENATORS” in the form of a semicircle in front of it. Now, a fragment of a wreath of laurel branches and leaves appears. Moreover, all logo variants are simple and contain few elements.
The inscription is only present on the first logo. It is set in a classic serif font. The thin letters are spaced far apart.
The “Ottawa Senators” hockey team borrowed the official palette of the Ottawa Amateur Athletic Association, of which it was a part. After the sports association dissolved, the club owners began using it as a successor. The logo includes all four corporate colors: white, black, red (Hex: #CF0820), and gold (Hex: #C09205).
FAQ
What does the Ottawa Senators logo mean?
The logo represents strength and determination. It conveys this through the image of a centurion, a Roman emperor in a golden helmet and a member of the Roman Empire’s senate. The centurion has strong facial features and a stern look. The background features a round shield.
Has the Ottawa Senators team changed its logo?
The Ottawa Senators team changed its logo twice: in 1997 and 2007. The first change was minor: a laurel branch styled as an ornament replaced the name on the round shield. The second time, designers presented the warrior’s head not in profile but head-on, adding volume to the emblem.
Where are the Ottawa Senators located?
The team is based in Ottawa, Canada’s capital. It represents the Eastern Conference in the NHL’s Atlantic Division.
When did the Ottawa Senators change its logo?
The Ottawa Senators’ logo underwent a significant change in 2007. At that time, the image of the centurion was placed head-on, adding a sense of three-dimensionality, sternness, and decisiveness.